Xavier bit his lower lip to keep from snickering when he saw the reddened ear. "I'm ready. Let's kill us some mermen."

"Mazi today." Wulfsen said. "This new one tomorrow if seeing his friend's disembodied head doesn't loosen his tongue."

"Make him suffer," Xavier said,  hoping they had no more distractions.

"Oh, he will. The axe was dulled breaking that door down." Wulfsen said. "Is there enough room down here or should we take him outside?"

 "We need to make it work down here. Outside there's a chance of escape or mermen to reveal themselves and mount a rescue."

"It's cruel to kill a man before he's had one last woman!" Mazi protested.

"I don't look forward to hauling his carcass upstairs." Wulfsen said. "Not that he would cooperate alive."

"We can always burn his carcass."

"We can't burn it down here." Wulfsen said. "Anyways, it might do some of his victim good to see his body, to know he's dead and can't hurt her anymore."

"We can place his head on a spike for the same effect."

Mazi was beginning to realize his mortality.

"C'mon, you don't want to kill me. I can set you up with women. Really pretty women. Not just landwomen like you're stuck with but some real mermaids." Mazi wheedled.

"True." Wulfsen frowned at Mazi.

Xavier rolled his eyes. Like he needed any help in finding female company. He decided it was best to ignore the merman. He fed on any sort of reaction.

"Shut up Mazi!" He snapped and grabbed at Mazi.

Mazi ducked his king. "I did everything you told me to and more. You said I'd be saved when we conquer this place. Well I'm not being saved, these land men are about to kill me! I've got to save myself."

Wulfsen watched the mermen. It looked like Mazi was abandoning his loyalty to try saving himself.

"You are strictly forbidden to speak of them." He said. "Traitors burn in hell."

"I won't go to hell if I don't die!" Mazi cried. "We have a bunch of women, some are merwomen but a lot are landwomen- human and elves- we either bought or captured them. They're all beautiful."

Wulfsen scratched his chin. "Maybe we'll execute the new one."

"Just execute them both. It's obvious we'll get nothing out of either of them."

"Where are these women?" Wulfsen asked.

"An island, I'll draw a map!" Mazi pleaded. "All these women are barren but beautiful."

"You mean they were kept like you kept Ila?" Wulfsen asked coldly.

"We need to have children to continue our bloodlines. So we got a bunch of women and keep them on an island." Mazi shrugged. "Since they've failed to give us any children- not even daughters- they're no use to us but you might enjoy them."

"You are disgusting." Wulfsen said. "Get some parchment and a quill." Wulfsen ordered a knight out loud, then in a low voice, "And get me a whip."